


Dawn

by emungere, louise_lux



Category: Saiyuki
Genre: Alternate Universe - Stripper/Exotic Dancer, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-12-01
Updated: 2007-12-01
Packaged: 2018-02-27 17:45:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2701739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emungere/pseuds/emungere, https://archiveofourown.org/users/louise_lux/pseuds/louise_lux
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's the sequel to Twilight by louiselux, aka <a href="http://louiselux.livejournal.com/348567.html">stripper Gojyo 1</a>...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dawn

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to new_kate for the beta!

Gojyo slumped onto a stool at the bar. "Coffee, Andre. Quick."

Andre peered at him as he handed the steaming mug over. "You okay, man? You look kinda...dead."

"Long day." During which he'd realized that, thanks to his new boots of last month, he would only barely make this month's rent, which meant he'd eaten nothing but ramen and an apple today. "Didn't sleep much last night."

His neighbor had a dog, which he wasn't allowed to have, and it was one of those little yippy ones. Hadn't shut up from three AM when Gojyo got home until noon. The neigbor on the other side had a habit of dumping her junk mail in the hall, and Gojyo had slipped on a pile of Clipper Savers and Victoria's Secret magazines and fallen flat on his ass. It still hurt.

He sipped the scorching coffee and thought about the reason he hadn't called in sick today: Hakkai. Who wasn't here.

"Where's your stalker?" Andre asked.

"He's not my _stalker_ ," Gojyo said. "He's nice," he added, totally without meaning to. Damn sleep deprivation.

Andre raised both eyebrows at that. "Oh, _really._ "

"Oh, shut up. He's not here anyway, so I guess he got what he wanted."

Not here tonight, not here yesterday or the day before.

"He might come later. He doesn't usually get here till after nine." Andre almost looked sorry for him, which pretty much put the capstone on Gojyo's Day of Hell.

"Yeah, whatever. Like I care. Probably just some rich whacko--"

A hand settled lightly on his shoulder, and he nearly bit his tongue. _It's him, isn't it?_ he mouthed to Andre. Andre nodded. Gojyo turned.

Hakkai was smiling warmly at him, only at him, like there was no one else in the room. "Hello, Gojyo. I'm glad to see you again."

"Hey, uh," Gojyo said. He found himself smiling back. "Glad to see you, too. Hakkai."

Hakkai's hand tightened briefly on his shoulder, palm warm and dry against Gojyo's bare skin. "I was wondering if you would care to accompany me to dinner this evening?" he asked.

"This... But. Well, yeah, but. I kind of have to work." Gojyo gestured around them, indicating the work he had to do, the gyrating, nearly naked sort.

"Ah, no need to worry. Please come this way."

Gojyo came this way, which turned out to be towards the manager's office. Hakkai's hand slid down over his shoulder blade to rest at the small of his back. When they reached the manager's office, Hakkai held the door for him.

Big Jim, the manager, looked up as Gojyo stepped in, and then frowned when Hakkai followed him.

"Whatever he did, I'm sure we can make it up to you, sir," he said to Hakkai.

"Hey!"

"Ah, you misunderstand." Hakkai smiled again, not warm at all this time. "He hasn't done anything to displease me. Quite the contrary, in fact. I wish to borrow him for the evening. I will, of course, compensate you for any loss of revenue."

Big Jim frowned and stood up to his full height of very-nearly-five-foot-six. No one called him Big Jim to his face. For a little guy, he could hit damn hard. He stepped out from behind his desk and looked Hakkai up and down.

"You want to, what, rent him?"

"To put it rather crassly, yes."

"Gojyo? You down with this?"

Gojyo wasn't entirely sure how he felt about being rented for the night, but at worst it had to be better than shaking his aching ass at a bunch of hairy, aging men. And at best... He snuck a sideways glance at Hakkai, who was every bit as fucking gorgeous as Gojyo remembered him.

"Yeah," he said. "I'm good."

"Three hundred," Big Jim told Hakkai.

Well, so much for that. There was no way-- But Hakkai had his wallet out and was peeling off bills. The pile he handed to Big Jim didn't reduce the bulge in his wallet by any significant amount.

Big Jim and Gojyo exchanged a glance. Even Big Jim seemed too shocked for greed to have kicked in yet, and Gojyo was pretty sure his own brain was set on stun for the duration of the night. Three hundred had to be more than Big Jim made off him in a night. Gojyo occasionally made that much in tips, but Jesus, not all from one guy.

The stunned feeling lasted all the way to the front door of the club, where a chill breeze reminded him that it was autumn and that he needed to be wearing more than red spandex short shorts.

"My clothes-" he started, but Hakkai was already draping his own trenchcoat around Gojyo's shoulders.

"I thought I'd get you something." Hakkai sounded almost hesitant now. "The restaurant I have in mind requires a jacket and tie."

Gojyo ran a quick mental inventory of his closet. "Uh, I don't really have a suit or anything."

"Yes, I know. Don't worry. My tailor is still open. It will have to be off the rack, of course, but I've told him your measurements. He said he had a few things you could try on."

Gojyo nodded dumbly and let himself be helped into a sleek, dangerous looking limousine. He wasn't sure what part of that sentence to worry about first. Maybe Hakkai was his stalker after all.

Hakkai took the seat opposite him, which Gojyo took to mean there would be no sex in the limo, at least for the moment.

"You know my measurements?" Gojyo said cautiously.

"Oh, yes. Well, approximations, of course. I have been watching you for quite some time."

"Almost a month," Gojyo said, making it not quite a question.

"Somewhat over a month."

"Oh. And you know I don't have any suits, how?"

Hakkai smiled. "Merely a guess, of course. It's not as if I hired a private detective to search your apartment! Ha, ha."

"No," Gojyo said slowly. "Of course not." This, he figured, was the point where he ought to start freaking out, but he wasn't. "So, where are we going for dinner?"

"It's a surprise. Tell me, Gojyo, do you enjoy your work?"

"Uh, I guess. I mean, it's okay most of the time. Pays pretty well and I have my days free."

Hakkai nodded thoughtfully. "But you can't plan to do it forever."

"Well, no. Just gotta save up some money, and..." And then he had no idea what. He shrugged. "I'll figure something out."

"I am sure you will."

The limo pulled up to the curb and stopped. A moment later, a uniformed driver opened their door. "We're here, sir."

"Thank you, George." Hakkai got out and held out a hand for Gojyo.

The sign on the shop door said it was closed, but Hakkai walked right in. The interior was small, paneled in dark wood. The rolling rack against the back wall was made of brass that glowed in the soft light. A few naked dressmaker's models posed around the room.

In the far corner, an older man sat in an armchair, sipping a cup of something steaming. As they entered, the man rose, smiling at Hakkai and shaking his hand.

"You made it, Mr. Cho. I am so glad. Is this the young man in question?"

"He is. Gojyo, this is Johann, my tailor. Johann, Gojyo."

Johann shook Gojyo's hand briskly and gestured to the brass rack. "This way, gentlemen. I have a few things set aside."

Gojyo and the few things were packed off to the dressing room--three suits, shirts, ties, shoes--and where had those come from anyway? Was Johann a cobbler in his spare time? He could hear the low murmur of voices outside as he shook the first suit jacket from its pants.

As he did, a pair of underwear fell out. Soft, grey cotton. Boxer-briefs. Gojyo nearly blushed, and he couldn't even explain why. Hakkai was...thorough. He pulled them on, feeling his cock stir as the fabric cradled it. He told it sternly to calm down. There could not be a more inappropriate time for a hard-on.

The suit was dark blue, subtly pin-striped, and Armani. There was no price tag on it. Gojyo tried not to think about what it must cost, what that amount of money could get him. Three months' rent, probably. He pulled on pants, shirt, and jacket, and draped the tie around his neck.

When he pushed the door open, Hakkai had his own cup of tea. He set it aside and stepped forward to tie Gojyo's tie.

"Hey, you don't have to--"

"I don't mind, I assure you," Hakkai murmured. His breath was warm on Gojyo's throat.

"Ah. Right. So, what do you think?"

Hakkai's fingers brushed Gojyo's throat as he tugged the knot neatly into place. Gojyo hadn't worn a tie in years, and he'd almost forgotten how it felt, that constant tiny pressure around his neck. It bugged him, always had. He wondered how soon he could get it off.

"I think you look quite handsome," Hakkai said softly. He was smiling, and his hand on Gojyo's chest was warm.

Gojyo cleared his throat and looked down. Okay, so maybe the tie could stay.

"But," Hakkai said, "I would like to see you in the other two as well."

"Right. Sure."

Back in the dressing room, door safely closed, he found he had to sit down for a minute. His heart was beating too fast, and he could feel sweat dampening the back of his neck lightly. He was hard again. Shit, if this was how he reacted to one fucking touch, he'd be _dead_ by the time they got to the actual sex.

It had been the touch, right? Of course. Not the smile or the soft words. Because it would be incredibly stupid to read anything into that. And he wasn't. No reading anything into anything, he told himself firmly. Just an expensive dinner and some really hot sex.

He nodded to himself and started stripping to try on the next suit.

Over the next twenty minutes, he tried on a total of five. Hakkai declared three of them "not good enough for him," but the other two--blue with pin-stripes and a lighter charcoal one--got rung up while Gojyo looked on in something like awe and a lot like shock. Two suits, crisp white cotton shirts, three ties, socks, shoes, underwear. Hakkai handed over his platinum Amex like he did this every day.

Drugs, Gojyo thought. Had to be drugs. Or something with organized crime. Maybe the Russian mafia. Jesus, maybe he was a _hitman_. A hitman with really good taste.

Gojyo looked at Hakkai's polite, detached expression as he shook Johann's hand and could almost believe it. There was no hint or threat of violence there, but there was no warmth either. There wasn't much of anything--until Hakkai turned to Gojyo and touched his arm.

"Shall we go?" He wasn't quite smiling, but his eyes were. It was suddenly a lot harder to picture him pulling the trigger on Don Corleone or whoever.

"Yeah," Gojyo said. "Sure. Time for dinner?" _Nooo, I'm not phased at all by the several thousand bucks you just dropped on me._

"Indeed."

Hakkai held the door open for him. The limo was still parked out front, and the driver came around to open the car door. Gojyo caught a glimpse of himself in the dark glass of the window. He had to stare, just for a second.

His reflection stared back at him, looking more grown up than Gojyo could ever remember looking. He stood up straighter, moved his hand by his side, and watched his reflection do those things too. It was almost like watching a stranger. He could see Hakkai as well, more a dim shadow in the black paint than a real reflection.

Hakkai stepped closer and stood behind him. "It suits you."

Gojyo let the corner of his mouth twitch up, almost a smirk. "My suit suits me? Cute."

"It does." Hakkai's hands settled on his hips, and Hakkai's lips brushed his neck, just behind his ear.

"Better than leather and baby oil?" Gojyo couldn't help asking.

"Much better." Hakkai's hand slid down his back briefly. "Which isn't to say I don't appreciate that look as well."

Gojyo glanced at the driver, but the guy was just standing there, zero expression on his face, looking carefully into the distance. Maybe he was used to shit like this.

Hakkai dropped his hands, and Gojyo ducked into the car. Hakkai settled on the seat opposite him, and Gojyo had a hard time not switching seats and pressing up against his side, touching his thigh, his-- Dammit, he had to stop thinking like this, because Hakkai had given no sign there was limo sex in the offing, and he was already worked up enough that dinner was going to seem like it was at least a year long.

He put his hands firmly on his own knees. "So, what's the other suit for?" he asked.

"I couldn't decide between the two," Hakkai said. Was that a touch of color in his cheeks? It was hard to tell in this light. "You looked so good in both of them."

"Oh. Well. Thanks," Gojyo said. It wasn't the answer he'd been expecting. He couldn't remember the last time someone had told him he'd looked good in something he was wearing, rather than something he wasn't.

"And, of course, I was hoping to take you out again." Hakkai frowned very slightly. "You should really have a tuxedo as well."

Gojyo laughed. He couldn't help it; Hakkai looked so damned serious. "A tux? What do I need a tux for?"

Hakkai blinked at him. "For the opera, of course."

For the _opera_. Of _course_. "Right," Gojyo mumbled. "What was I thinking?"

"Have you never been?" Hakkai asked politely. "I think you would enjoy it."

"No. Never. Uh. It's in other languages or something, isn't it? I only know English."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that. I'd say that most of the people who attend the opera can't understand the individual words. They're familiar with the story, but it's really about experiencing the music."

Gojyo thought the whole thing sounded deadly dull, but nodded anyway. It might not be so bad, and if it was, he could take a nap. Assuming Hakkai was even serious. Assuming Hakkai was still interested in him at all after tonight. Maybe his novelty value or whatever would wear off.

Maybe that would be for the best. He couldn't let himself get too used to this. But tonight, just for tonight, he decided it'd be okay to pretend this was his life; thousand dollar suits and limos and expensive dinners and making out in opera boxes with weird, beautiful millionaires. Yeah.

"So is that what you do for fun? Opera and stuff? Ballet?"

"Sometimes. Recently I've spent quite a bit of time in a certain gentlemen's club."

"Hah. Not many gentlemen in there."

"And you?"

"I'm no gentleman."

"I'm not sure I believe you. But I meant what do you do when you're not dancing?"

It was tempting to ask about the private detective, but Gojyo just shrugged. "Hang out. Watch TV. Play video games."

"Video games?"

Hakkai looked so blank that Gojyo wondered if he was actually going to have to define the concept for him. Maybe hitmen didn't play video games.

"You know," he ventured. "Games you play? On the TV?"

"Yes, but what sort? I'm afraid I don't know very much about video games."

"Metal Gear Solid 2, recently. And, um. Legend of Zelda."

"I see. And what are those about?"

"Well...MGS is about this secret agent type guy trying to save the world on this big floating...platform, sort of. And the other one is about a little elf guy trying to stop the moon falling on his world." _Hi, I'm a huge dork._

But Hakkai looked fascinated. "The moon is falling?"

"Yeah...you can see up its nose and stuff. _Jesus fucking Christ, shut up!_

"I see. Perhaps you would teach me how to play some time?"

"Oh." Gojyo blinked at him. "Yeah, sure. Anytime."

The limo glided to a stop, and a moment later the driver opened their door.

"Ah," Hakkai said. "The restaurant." He got out, turned back, and offered Gojyo his hand.

Gojyo took it and climbed out, wondering if he wasn't actually dreaming.

The restaurant was smaller than he'd expected, dark inside, with pools of warm light illuminating the tables. The maitre d' seemed to know Hakkai and led them immediately to a table in the back. The seats were covered in a deep blue velvet, and when Gojyo looked down at the table top, there were fish swimming underneath the glass.

"Huh. Cool."

"I always thought so." Hakkai was smiling. "I'm glad you like it."

He really did look like he was glad, and Gojyo frowned a little as he watched the fish drift back and forth through the clear water.

_Why me?_ he wanted to ask. Why, out of all the strippers in the club, would Hakkai pick him? He was hot, okay, yeah. But that didn't seem like enough reason for the happiness on his face just because Gojyo liked the damn restaurant.

The menu was a foot tall and when the waiter handed it over he took the opportunity to hide behind it for a moment. He stared at the words, written in fancy swirling italics, and they meant nothing to him. What were they going to talk about until the sex happened? Maybe he could explain more about his favourite video games.

He grimaced at himself, just as Hakkai hooked a finger over his menu and lowered it.

"Do you like champagne?" Hakkai said.

"Sometimes."

Customers bought him a lot of champagne. He only ever sipped it, letting the bitter bubbles flood over his tongue. On his personal level of cool, being drunk at work was about minus a hundred. He looked up to see Hakkai watching him, his gaze dark and soft and knowing, and had a sense memory of Hakkai tracing a line down his cock. He could feel it, like it was happening now. Jesus.

But Hakkai just nodded. His face was lit a little from the fish tank: it cast faint blue-white rays that flickered under his chin.

"But not when you're working?" Hakkai said, leaning forwards, intimate and close.

Hakkai had dropped three hundred dollars for the privilege of Gojyo's time, not to mention the clothes. He couldn't help glancing down at his own hands, neatly bounded by a flash of white shirt cuff and the sharp tailored cuff of the suit jacket. There were cufflinks, a discreet flash of silver. He didn't sleep with anyone for cash. Right, not at all like jerking off at someone's request.

"Is that what this is?" he said.

"It's whatever you want it to be."

"Right," Gojyo said. "Okay. It's not work."

Hakkai smiled, and it was so sweet and warm that Gojyo totally forgot not to stare. The waiter, different from the one who'd handed them the menu, poured two tall glasses, with stems so thin that Gojyo thought he might snap one if he picked it up.

"We should drink to something," Hakkai said, when the waiter had gone.

"Like what?"

"The falling moon," Hakkai said.

Gojyo blinked, then grinned and they touched glasses. They rang with a small silvery peal.

"Yeah, to that."

"You have a beautiful smile," Hakkai said, after a moment.

"I-- Thanks," Gojyo said, feeling his face get pink. "So...you come here a lot, huh? That guy knew you."

"Fairly often. The food is very good, and the chef knows what I like. It's easier than cooking at the end of a long day, though I do enjoy cooking when I have someone to appreciate my efforts."

Gojyo grinned at him. "Oh, yeah? Someone like me?" He didn't know what answer he was expecting to that. It was an auto-flirt question, a _real_ date question, not something he should be asking. But Hakkai looked pleased by it, and Gojyo was starting to believe he might actually be pleased.

"Yes," Hakkai said. "Exactly like you. Chicken with tarragon sauce? Does that sound good?"

"It sounds great. I'm sure anything would be. I'm not real used to people cooking for me."

"Do you cook yourself?"

"All I've got is a hot plate and a mini-fridge. So. No. Eggs sometimes, and cereal. That's about it."

Hakkai got a thoughtful look on his face, a lot like when he'd been deciding on suits. Gojyo hoped he wouldn't wake up to a seven course breakfast delivered to his apartment door tomorrow, and then the waiter arrived, bearing delicate white plates.

"Did we order this?" Gojyo asked, when he'd gone.

"Oh, no. I always start with this."

"Those things that look like pancakes aren't actually, right?"

"They're made with potatoes, and they're not sweet, but they are sort of pancakes, yes. Here, try this."

Gojyo took a wary bite. He had to make a face as he swallowed. "I'm sorry. That's just gross."

Hakkai looked delighted, and Gojyo started to wonder if maybe he was a little cracked.

"I thought so too, at first," Hakkai said. "The way they burst on the tongue like small eyeballs is somewhat disconcerting."

Gojyo put his fork down and reached for his champagne.

"Right."

"Have you had enough?" Hakkai asked, piling a small gleaming mound of caviar onto another pancake. He ate it in two delicate bites and started on another. Gojyo watched, taking in the neat movements and Hakkai's long fingered hands with short polished nails. They didn't look like they'd seen much hard work.

"You said the eyeballs thing on purpose, right? So you could eat it all for yourself?"

"Well, it does mean there's more for me," Hakkai said.

His gaze drifted over Gojyo's face, fixing on his mouth.

"Yeah, someone like you-- "

"Yes?"

"You can have whatever you like," Gojyo said. "Any time."

"Oh." Hakkai's faint smile faded. Gojyo had no idea what that meant. "Can I?"

He knew his brain wasn't in gear. He could blame it on the champagne. He should. His own words echoed in his ears. No points for subtlety.

"I just meant-- "

His words were cut short by a low, smoky voice.

"Hakkai. Darling. I haven't seen you for weeks."

The voice belonged to a dark haired woman with a mouth painted the same colour as Gojyo's abandoned spandex shorts: bright, shiny red.

"Oh. Hello, Esmerelda," said Hakkai.

"Where the hell have you been hiding?" she said.

"I've been-- researching."

"Well, aren't you a good boy? Did you get any decent material?"

Hakkai shot a look at Gojyo and bit his lip. He looked almost nervous, and Gojyo twisted his fingers in his napkin. Who the hell was this? And what, Gojyo was research now? For what, exactly?

Esmerelda grinned and wiggled her way into the booth next to Hakkai. She lifted a finger and the waiter appeared with an extra glass.

"So," she said, sipping at her champagne. Her hair was swept up in a loose bun and she wore nothing but black, except for a row of shiny gold buttons down the front of her jacket. She cocked her head at Gojyo and smiled. "Is this the reason you've missed your deadline, Hakkai?"

Hakkai barely smiled.

"This is Gojyo, Esmerelda."

"Hi," said Gojyo, wanting to get up and run. The suit didn't feel like much of a disguise and he didn't like the way Esmerelda was eying him up like a juicy pork chop. She smiled and nodded, opening her eyes a little wider. They were blue and sharp and ringed with black eyeliner.

"Gojyo. Are you part of his research findings? Or rather, where did he find _you_?"

"He's a friend, and we're having a private dinner," said Hakkai. He'd gone a faint shade of pink.

"Which means leave, now, doesn't it?" Esmerelda turned to Hakkai and sighed. "You bring this on yourself by hiding from me."

"I wasn't hiding. I'll have the next chapter with you by next Sunday."

Esmerelda patted his hand and stood up.

"Fine. You'd better call me next week, if you've managed to get out of bed by then. I can't set the deadline back much longer." She blew a little kiss at Gojyo. "Have fun."

She walked away, back to wherever she came from. Gojyo didn't look, he was too busy staring at Hakkai.

"Research?"

He didn't even have the right to be pissed off, not really. He was though. He remembered Hakkai's gaze on him when he'd tried on the suits: intent and almost hungry.

"Of a sort," Hakkai said. He was looking into space somewhere over Gojyo's right shoulder.

"Into what? Getting off with hot strippers?"

God only knew what was showing on his face, but Hakkai finally looked at him. The getting off part of that last sentence suddenly seemed so much more meaningful.

"Technically, yes."

The waiter came then, bearing plates of pale pink salmon and vegetables served from silver dishes. The guy took forever, spooning out each stick of broccoli as if it was made of glass. Really expensive glass. Gojyo passed the long minutes twitching at his tie, drinking too much champagne and feeling so far out of his depth he thought he might never come back up. The food smelled amazing.

"I suppose you could say I live a double life," Hakkai said, picking at his salmon.

"Like how?" Gojyo said, willing it hard not to be to do with hitmen.

"As Bernadette Bourgeois."

It could be worse. A lot worse. Gojyo smiled. Hakkai didn't look the type, but with those cheekbones he'd be able to get away with a lot. A little make up, some jewellery.

"That's fine," he said. "Some of my best friends are cross dressers."

Hakkai put down his fork and patted his perfectly clean lips with his napkin. He sipped his drink.

"No. I mean, I write novels. It's my pen name."

Gojyo tapped the glass over the fish tank and thought about that for a second. So he was just research. Research Hakkai had pretty public sex with? And asked out to dinner? Gojyo stuffed his mouth full of broccoli in case he decided to say something stupid, which looked likely given his track record for the evening.

Apparently broccoli was still pretty tough even at fancy restaurants, and it gave him a minute to think of his next question, and to look at Hakkai. Hakkai, who was not looking at him or eating, but rather tracing his finger over the surface of the fish tank. Soft blue water shadows rippled across his skin.

Gojyo swallowed and chased it with a gulp of champagne. He felt like he ought to be angry, but now that the shock had passed, he mostly just felt confused. Things did not add up, even when he counted on his fingers, and the obscenely expensive suit he was wearing didn't fit into the equation at all.

"Hey," he said. He nudged Hakkai's index finger with his own and watched as a bright yellow fish came up to kiss the glass. "Maybe you could just tell me what's going on?"

Hakkai cleared his throat, finger stroking along Gojyo's and lightly over the back of his hand. "I did first go to your club for research purposes. Perhaps it was not a wise choice since the performers in my book are female, but I didn't think I'd get the full effect, as it were, in a straight club. They seem to be almost entirely breast-focused, which has a limited appeal for me."

"So you'd rather have guys than girls shaking their junk at you. I think I knew that part. And?"

"I didn't expect to find the experience so...distracting." Hakkai's cheeks colored faintly.

"The experience."

"You," Hakkai said, looking up at him finally.

There was a stretch of silence after that. Gojyo couldn't think of anything to say. He wasn't even sure what to think. They ate slowly, glancing at each other. Gojyo drank more champagne than he should have, his glass mysteriously refilled every time he set it down. It all felt oddly comfortable--although maybe that was the champagne.

It was weirdly flattering--and it was interesting how many descriptions of Hakkai needed 'weirdly' tacked in front of them--to think Hakkai had blown off his job all those times just to come and watch him dance. He wondered what Hakkai did during the day. He was awfully well off for a romance novelist, although whatshername, the one whose books got advertised on TV, Danielle Steel? She seemed to have some cash to throw around. Gojyo wondered if she was secretly a guy too.

He held his champagne glass up to the light, twirling the delicate stem between his fingers. He squinted at the liquid inside. "Hey, was this pink a few minutes ago?"

Hakkai laughed softly. "This is a rose. The waiter brought us a different bottle some time ago."

"Huh." He took a sip. "Tastes...pink."

"Would you care for dessert? I feel certain they could produce something pink if you'd like."

Gojyo kicked him gently under the table. "Funny, mister. Nah, I'm good. I think we could get...going..." His sentence lost steam as Hakkai's leg rubbed along his.

"You're not angry with me?" Hakkai asked.

"No," Gojyo said, after a pause. "I'm not angry. I like you," the champagne added for him. But it was, weirdly, true. And Hakkai's brilliant smile almost made the slip worth it.

"I'm glad. Shall we go then?"

Gojyo nodded, and bit his tongue on the question that wanted to escape him: _Are we going to have sex in your limo now?_ He was pretty sure they were, and anyway, he wouldn't have to wait long to find out.

Maybe Hakkai had already paid while Gojyo was communing with his pink champagne, or maybe he ran a tab here. No money changed hands now, and the maitre d' gave them a little half-bow as they left.

Out on the sidewalk, Hakkai put an arm around Gojyo's waist, and Gojyo leaned against him while he called for the car. Moisture in the air made fuzzy halos around the streetlights, and the sidewalk was pecked with dark grey rain spots, but it wasn't raining now. Cloud tatters hid the moon, but a few stars shone, blurry white and faint.

"Thank you, Daniel," Hakkai said, into his phone, then snapped it shut. It was tiny, black and silver and gleaming in the dim light.

"Daniel. Your driver, huh?"

"He's very trustworthy."

_And you’re very loaded._ It was kind of awkward, whatever Gojyo kept telling himself. The concept of someone having so much money to throw around on Gojyo made his brain ache, so he planned to stop thinking about it, right now. There was something better to concentrate on, anyway.

Hakkai's hand tightened on his waist, just a fraction. Gojyo wondered what sort of a scene they made: two men in thousand-dollar suits standing far too close together. Very close, so that Hakkai's thigh was pressing up against his. If Gojyo wanted, he could just lean in and kiss him, right here. He tried to slow down his breathing, because he was getting hard, just from this. His leather soled shoes made a soft scuffing noise on the paving flags. He looked down at their bodies and then noticed Hakkai looking too. Their eyes met and Hakkai held his gaze. His lips were a little glossy, like he'd just licked them.

"I don't care what people think of me, Gojyo," he said, as if he'd just had a peek into Gojyo's brain. "Or who I chose to associate with."

Gojyo's stupid stupid heart skipped a little bit. "Yeah? Not even if they're extremely hot gay lap-dancers?" he said.

Hakkai smiled and his arm tightened at Gojyo's waist in a gesture that was too clearly possessive. It was also very cool, Gojyo thought dimly, as he felt Hakkai's warm breath on his cheek. He was down with that. He probably shouldn't be, but blame it on the champagne. Or the fish-table and the suits and the limo, or whatever. On Hakkai's voice and the way he looked at Gojyo as if Gojyo was in possession of something a lot more valuable than a PlayStation and twelve pairs of spandex shorts.

The car arrived, Daniel's face as expressionless as ever as he held the door open for them. Miraculously, Hakkai slid in right next to him and laid his arm along the back of the seat behind Gojyo's shoulders. Gojyo's stomach fluttered as Daniel shut the door, leaving them alone. There was a dark glass panel between them and the driver's seat, with a small sliding pane. It was shut tight. The car pulled away, quiet inside, insulated from the world

"So. Umm," he said, painfully aware of Hakkai next to him. Hakkai's leg was pressed against his.

He tried to think of a conversational topic that did not involve suggestions of how to get naked. Hakkai was obviously the kind of guy who liked to take it slow. No, that was wrong. Who liked to get off with strangers in public and then buy them suits. And then take it slow. Gojyo didn't have much experience with slow. It was all fast fast fast, or nothing.

"I am sorry," Hakkai said, turning to him. His fingers brushed Gojyo's shoulder.

"For what?" Gojyo couldn’t think of anything he needed to be sorry for, right then.

"For not telling you at the beginning what I did for a living. Why I was there."

Gojyo shook his head. "Why would you?"

Hakkai frowned and looked at him with a faintly puzzled expression, like he thought Gojyo should know why.

"I don't want you to think I was just using you," he said.

Gojyo pondered on that for a few moments, fighting the vivid flashbacks of Hakkai underneath him, telling him what he wanted. Hakkai's thigh shifted against his.

"That time in the club," he said, feeling his mouth dry up.

"Yes?" Hakkai said, swaying against him as the car turned a corner. He didn't move back.

"You’re the one who got me off. You didn't even-- I mean." He felt himself going red, like he didn't have a nearly-naked job. "You didn't come or anything."

"I'm very aware of that, Gojyo," Hakkai said, after a tiny pause.

He put his hand on Gojyo's knee, then slid it up his thigh, just resting it there. Oh God. Gojyo realised he was almost panting.

"Hakkai," he said, and laid his hand on his. Their fingers curled together and Gojyo stared down at them in a daze.

"I know. You're tired. It's getting late. I should take you home," Hakkai said.

"What?"

"It's not fair to keep you out all night. I don’t want to get you into trouble with-- Ah- "

"Big Jim," Gojyo said, feeling his stomach go cold.

"Yes. And I have to keep Esmerelda happy, of course. With my chapter."

"Oh. I-- Wait."

"We're nearly there. I'll drop you right at your door."

He blinked and Hakkai smiled at him, up close and beautiful _There wasn't going to be any really hot sex_. How was he going to manage to drag himself from the car?

"Right. But, listen," he said, too fast, and then he leaned in before he could stop himself and kissed Hakkai on the mouth.

They stayed pressed together for long seconds, Hakkai's mouth unmoving under his, until he made a small noise and his lips parted, just a fraction, but enough for Gojyo to feel how soft they were. Soft and a little wet, so that Hakkai's lower lip slid against his. Gojyo moaned and then so did Hakkai, and that was so hot it made him dizzy.

"Gojyo. Oh," Hakkai said, and then he laid a hand on Gojyo's jaw and drew him closer and this time it was slower and deeper and Hakkai was making the most amazing little sounds, like this was all a shock.

Gojyo had crawled onto his lap and was sucking at Hakkai's neck when the car stopped, the engine idling then falling silent. Hakkai lay back against the seat, his chest rising and falling fast. He was hard. Gojyo could feel it under him, just like in the club. Hakkai gazed up, eyes dark and glittering in the soft light. He stroked his palms over Gojyo's waist, crumpling the crisp white cotton against his skin.

"You look so good like this," he whispered, running his hands up over Gojyo's ribs, pushing up under his jacket. He sounded almost breathless.

"I could look better. You know, naked."

He kissed Hakkai's mouth to emphasise the idea, and Hakkai seemed to like it because he arched up and pushed his tongue into Gojyo's mouth, curling his fingers tight into Gojyo's shirt to pull him closer.

"Maybe just half out of your clothes," he whispered, close to Gojyo's lips.

Gojyo rocked against him and they panted together, mouths so close they were almost touching. "Fuck. Are you seriously letting me out here?"

It was the wrong thing to say, clearly. Hakkai stopped and looked up at him.

"Yes, really."

Gojyo kissed him again. "Don't," he said. "We can--drive around the block or whatever, right?" He smiled briefly. "Won't take all that long."

Hakkai touched his cheek and pushed him back gently. "I'd like more than a ride around the block with you, Gojyo. There's no need to rush, is there?"

Gojyo blinked at him, sliding back off his lap and onto the seat. "I... guess not?"

They looked at each other for a long moment. Hakkai's tie was all askew and his hair was falling into his eyes.

"Good," Hakkai said.

Smiles weren't supposed to make up for hot sex, Gojyo was sure, but this one almost did. The door popped open at his side and there was Daniel, blank as ever.

"Well. I'll see you, then," Gojyo said, not moving.

"Yes," Hakkai said.

Gojyo tried to force himself not ask when.

"When?"

Hakkai leaned over and kissed his cheek, soft and quick, just like he had that first time.

"Next Sunday? I'll call you."

"I work Sundays-- "

"I know."

"Right. Of course you do."

Gojyo climbed out of the car. The night air was cool on his skin after the warmth of the limo. He was shaking, he realised with a faint sense of shock. Daniel closed the door and walked around to the driver's side. Gojyo watched as the window came down.

"Come closer," Hakkai said, and Gojyo leaned in, helplessly. Hakkai kissed him again, on the mouth this time, slow and soft, his hand sliding into Gojyo's hair.

Afterwards, he watched Hakkai's limo till it turned the corner at the far end of the street and disappeared from view. He checked his watch. It looked pretty cheap next to the clothes. One AM, and he'd still be a few hours away from finishing his Friday night shift if he was at the club. If he hadn’t been with Hakkai. He wondered how he was going to make it to next Sunday without exploding.

He walked up to his apartment and let himself in, then closed the door behind him and leaned on it. He tipped his head back and let out a long breath. He should change out of these clothes too. Give them back.

This had probably been the most bizarre evening of his life so far. Stuff like this just didn’t happen to people like him. He looked down at his unfamiliar self and felt a tight little knot form in his stomach. He didn’t want to change back.


End file.
